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Navy officer told uniform does not meet hotel bar's dress code

By Ben Hooper
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NEW YORK, May 27 (UPI) -- A New York hotel apologized after a sailor was turned away from the business' cocktail lounge because her U.S. Navy uniform was not up to dress code.

Ryan O'Connor, husband of the sailor's cousin, said he was with the group Saturday night when they attempted to visit the Standard Hotel's Top of the Standard rooftop lounge and the Navy officer, who was in town for Fleet Week, was told by a ground floor bouncer that her uniform did not match the lounge's dress code.

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"We walked in, went to the elevator and were stopped by a doorman who said, 'Hey man, there's a dress code,'" O'Connor told the New York Daily News. "I said, 'Wait, are you rejecting us because someone is in a service uniform?' He kind of rolled his eyes and wouldn't budge."

"I was wearing a $400 blazer and dress shoes. We were all dressed nice. The only person sticking out was the Navy officer," he said.

The sailor, who wished to remain anonymous, has since left town.

"We were all shocked and upset," he said. "This was Memorial Day weekend and walking distance from Ground Zero. This should have been a no-brainer."

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Nayara Branco, manager of the rooftop lounge, wrote an apology to the sailor and her family.

"We most certainly do appreciate and take a lot of pride [in] all the young people giving their lives to defend our nation," Branco wrote. "As per regular protocol, our team at the Top of The Standard is instructed to enforce a dress code -- which obviously should not apply to military uniforms. Once again, our sincere apologies for the miscommunication at our end, the issue has been brought to all of our team's attention and it will certainly not repeat itself."

The Standard Hotel issued a public apology to WPIX-TV.

"We hold those service in the United States Armed Forces in the highest regard. This was a mistake and we sincerely apologize," the statement said.

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